Pyromania
by marsdemon
Summary: Jaedite is back with the power to control Rai's fire. He is not with the negaverse, he is not with the scouts, what does he want? Does he himself know? Now Rai is changing or being changed by him, does she know what she is any more?
1. The awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon (how many times do I have to say this?)  
  
Pyromania  
  
Jaedite woke up with a huge headache, what happened to him? He remembered fighting the scouts, remembered Sailor Mars defeating him, then Queen Beryl punishing him, it was supposed to be eternal darkness, so what was he doing here, awake? He tried to get up, but it was all in vain, every single part of his body was hurting, Jaedite wondered if he even still had his powers, he felt so weak.  
  
With a lot of effort and after many failed tries, he finally managed to sit up straight. He looked around, this place looked like a desert of ice, and it was so cold, so damn cold. Only then did he realize that he was on Earth, although the Negaverse was cold, it didn't look like this, he must be at one of Earth's poles.  
  
"Oh shit, now how in hell did I get here, and how did I manage to get free?" mumbled Jaedite fighting of the dizziness and trying not to shiver in the harsh cold.  
  
He looked at his uniform; it was a mess, still torn from fighting the scouts, those brats, what have they put him through! Finally Jaedite was able to get up, where to now, he probably should return to the negaverse, Queen Beryl probably spared him.no that couldn't be, that would not be like her, she got rid of him, he doesn't exist for her any more, this might be just a lucky accident for him that he is free.  
  
Jaedite tried to test his powers, but to his surprise and almost horror, they were not working, he could feel that he still had powers, he could feel them, although they did feel different, but he could still feel they were there, why couldn't he use them? He tried and tried, and tried, but he produced nothing, was this some kind of sick joke of someone in the negaverse, free him and then leave him helpless?  
  
Looking around, only white and cold, how could this be, if he doesn't get out of here, he's going to freeze to death, this couldn't be, he was being beaten by the cursed weather, it's like the planet itself hated and tried to destroy him, was he forever cursed to be an eternal outcast? Shaking the thoughts of Jaedite started walking in a general direction hugging himself to keep himself warmer, he wasn't hoping to get anywhere like this, but he kept walking fighting of the harsh wind, he didn't want to die, not like this, he didn't want to die like this, all by himself, forgotten by everyone.  
  
How long has it been? He couldn't remember, it didn't matter, must be a while though, everyone seemed to have forgotten him; it must have been some time. Jaedite was quickly loosing all the little strength he still had, the wind and snow were beating in his face that he desperately tried to hide with his arm, he couldn't go on like this, why was he feeling like this, he was never weak, but now he felt like he couldn't go on. He remembered the darkness queen Beryl threw him into, he was never very found of her very much, but he hated her so now, she had no right to punish him like this, he was outnumbered four to one (including Darien), what was she expecting him to be, invincible?  
  
Jaedite was no longer sure what hurt more, the harsh frigidness of his surrounding, or the feeling of being used and discarded. Drained of his last strength Jaedite dropped to his knees unable to move any more, this was it.  
  
Cold snow bit into his face as he fell into it exhausted, and the furious wind already started covering him with a blanket of the white death. What a harsh planet could this be, Earth, in one place, you freeze, in another, you drown from floods and deep waters, yet in other places it is so hot and dry that you almost cook alive. The earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes, storms, this plane seemed like it was almost created to destroy its own habitants, and yet, there were also places where it was paradise.  
  
Jaedite didn't know why he was thinking about that now, so close to his own demise, but he was. He has always thought the Earthlings weak, but was he really right about that? They had no power, and yet, they survived on this planet, they prospered here, and most of all, they were happy here, on this planet with it's so many faults, they could still enjoy life. Their entire lies were a struggle, yet they fought to preserve them as much as they could. The young general thought, could it be, could it be that he lived his life the wrong way?  
  
He closed his eyes and thought just how weak he himself was when deprived of what he has always took for granted. The snow was quickly covering him, no, he didn't want this to end so fast, he wanted to live, however screwed up his life was, he still wanted to live it. Jaedite opened his eyes and tried as hard as he could to get up, but all he managed was to prop himself up just a bit only to fall right back into the snow. A tear fell down his cheek and froze on his face, what was his pain, was he scared? Jaedite has never cried in his life before, not in the silver millennium, not during his time in the negaverse, not ever, but now he was, he was dying, and there was no one to help him, and even if there was anyone, they wouldn't want to.  
  
As a last attempt to save himself Jaedite reached blindly into his power, he knew it was still there, he could feel it clearly, he just couldn't tap into it. And there it was, a miracle, it worked! But it was not what he has expected, in his outstretched hand formed a small fire, a tiny flame, a fireball. Fire? Sure he could use fire before and there were many other abilities he had, but that was just regular fire, not like this, this was celestial fire. Ever since when did he know how to use celestial fire? Jaedite didn't get a chance to think about it much, he was drained, the fire died, and with it left his hope, his vision blurred and Jaedite fell back into the darkness he has just escaped.  
  
Sleep.  
  
Dream.  
  
Don't feel.  
  
But the fire inside, it still burns.  
  
Jaedite fell deeper and deeper into sleep and he dreamt.  
  
Fire, fire was everywhere and one little boy with blonde curly hair and stormy blue eyes, was there, unafraid. Fire was his little friend, his companion, it understood him, he confided in it. So warm, there was a passion there, something that fueled him, something that made him feel not alone, not scared and strong. With his little friend he felt like he could do anything, he controlled it and it never hurt him. People pointed at him, said that he was strange, that he was too powerful, some said that he was dangerous, but the little boy walked on, alone.or was he? His passion was there with him, his fire always burning bright, celestial fire. Fire was so many things, anger, passion, rage, strength, courage, love, light.  
  
And then came a darkness, with its frigid breath it froze the fire, destroyed the passion, killed the warmth, and left behind only the cold icy bareness. And there, among the bareness stood a young general, a grown man, all alone, cold and heartless.  
  
Jaedite woke up with a start, he could barely feel his body, as he opened his eyes, a cold blanket of ice lay upon him, a little longer and he would have died, but that would not happened, he was not about to be defeated by ice, not again he would not be! With all his might he tapped into the fire that was sleeping inside of him for years, like time bomb that was set of, it all exploded, the searing heat radiated from Jaedite as an explosion of fire freed him from yet another icy prison, fire, it was all around him, circulation him feeding his long lost passion. He stood up strong once again and still alone.or was he?  
  
With barely any effort Jaedite teleported himself to the location of his last battle. He only now noticed that his uniform changed, he was clad in back pants, black shirt and a black cape, but his cape had a magnificent flame pattern on the bottom, and the flat shoulder-guards on his shoulders were decorated with black gold and red rubies. Where does this come from? though Jaedite. This uniform was something new, has he ever worn it before? It didn't matter, he liked it just the same.  
  
Jeadite walked along the airport where he last fought, something told him that he was more powerful now then he was then, he didn't know why he thought so, he just knew he was. A guard came running to him yelling him to freeze. Jeadite turned to face him, for some reason he felt like having some fun right now.  
  
"What do you want, I did something illegal? Or is standing here illegal?" Jeadite smirked at the guards strange expression, must be the effect of his new uniform.  
  
Jaedite could almost pass for being dressed normally if it wasn't for his cloak and shoulder-guards.  
  
"What? I'm not supposed to be here? Tell me.cat got your tongue?" Jaedite proceeded to approach the man in steady confident strokes.  
  
The guy was speechless, some instinct has warned him on the inside that Jaedite was dangerous and he started to slowly back away. Jeadite got bored, with a sharp raise of his hand he incinerated the man in a second leaving a pile of ash in his place. Jaedite was proud, Sailor Mars could not even compare to him, her fire was nothing compared to his, her passion failed comparing to what he felt right now and he knew it. And the sweetest thing, she was powerless against him, but he was not powerless against her, time to pay the old friend a visit.  
AN:Tell me if I should continue, I will not write more till I get at least 10 reviews. 


	2. The reunion

Jaedite stood on the top of a fence looking down at the shrine below. Cherry Hill temple, this was the place he first met Sailor Mars, this was the place she discovered him and first defeated him.  
  
Jaedite smirked, it was night time and she was probably asleep. Good he thought. Jaedite disappeared and reappeared in Rays' room, he knew who she was and where to find her from the last time they have fought, ahhh, that fateful day.  
  
Jaedites' evil smirk grew, this was going to be so much fun. He walked up to Ray's bed, the girl was sleeping soundly in her bed unaware of his presence here. Jaedite leaned over her bed putting both of his hands at each side of her head. He called out to her not being able to keep amusement and excitement out of his voice.finally.  
  
"Rai.oh Rai.why don't you wake up and see who came to visit."  
  
Rai stirred and opened her eyes. She stared up at the face above her petrified, she recognized that face instantly. She screamed pushing past Jaedite and jumping out of her bed. "Awww, the mighty Mars, aren't you glad to see me?" Jaedite disappeared and reappeared right behind Rai.  
  
Rai yelped as she stumbled back from him.  
  
"Y-you.you can't be.you're dead!" stuttered Rai. She was backing away from him and reaching for her transformation stick at the same time. "What in hell are you doing here, your queen is dead, Sailor Moon wasted her, what do you still want from us?"  
  
"Oh, Queen Beryl is dead?" asked Jaedite raising his eyebrows, "why thank you for wasting her for me, you and your friends are so helpful"  
  
"You are sick Jaedite!" screamed Ray as she raised her transformation stick.  
  
She didn't get a chance, Jaedite appeared right in front of her knocking the object out of her hand.  
  
"Aww, what a pity, no miss Sailor Mars, only miss pathetic Rai." he taunted as the girl stumbled back from him and tripping fell to the floor. She was really afraid now, what was the deal with this guy?  
  
"What do you want?!" yelled Rai angrily.  
  
"Beats me, maybe just some fun would be nice, you look like fun." Jaedite smirked and without a warning sprang toward Rai pinning her down on the floor.  
  
Rai screamed and struggled but she was no match for him in her scout form, he probably couldn't even feel her struggling now.  
  
"Let go! Let go of me you creep, let go!" she screamed.  
  
"You are so loud, maybe I should do something to shut you up sailor brat." That was the only warning Rai got before Jaedite crushed his lips against her.  
  
Blood seemed to rush to her head as she was for a moment frozen by shock. 'No, no this couldn't be happening!' screamed Rais' mind desperately. She kicked Jaedite with her knee and was glad to find that he let go, but not because he was hurt, he let go just so he could look at her.  
  
Rai took this opportunity to twist away from him and make a dash for her transformation stick. She didn't get to take two steps as she was slammed into a wall with incredible force and pinned to it by Jaedites' strong body.  
  
"You are rather amusing Rai, never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm enjoying myself in your company." Jaedite chuckled cruelly before planting a chaste kiss on Rais' lips and running his hand down her side.  
  
"No, let go, let go damn it!" yelled Rai on the verge of tears. This was not your normal scout alert situation, what in hell did he want from her.  
  
Jaedite laughed. He slammed the struggling Rai back into the wall pinning her arms by her sides.  
  
"What's the matter Rai, you look like you've just seen a ghost, do I scare you?" Jaedites' face was mere centimeters away from Rais' as he stared into her eyes. His usually cold eyes seemed on fire, they didn't even look so icy blue any more, it was like ice set in flames.  
  
"What do you want from me, what in hell do you want from me?!" Rai was breaking down, a little more and she was going to start crying.  
  
"As I said, I think I just want to have some fun, after what you brat put me through, I think you should be scared, think you should be very, very scared, sailor Mars." His voice was dangerously low and there was that fake sweetness about it, his tone was practically dripping sarcasm.  
  
Rai was about to kick him again, but he surprised her again by crushing his lips against hers' again. This time a tear did run down Rays' face, this wasn't supposed to be happening, this wasn't supposed to be happening to her.  
  
"I'll be back for you Rai." whispered Jaedite as he let go of her. Taking a step back he disappeared in a swirl of celestial flames, the last thing Rai heard was his laughter.  
  
Rai felt instantly sick. She made a mad dash for the bathroom and threw up right away. She then sank down onto the floor and exploded in tears. It was horrible, it was completely horrible, what he did to her, gods, she hated him, she hated him so much, why did he have to come back.  
  
Rai cried and cried and cried until she had no more tears to cry with.  
  
Outside Jaedite was smirking as he sat high up in a tree tossing Rais' transformation stick up into the air and catching it again.  
  
Next mourning Rai didn't go to school, she didn't talk to the scouts, she didn't tell Chad or grandpa what was her screaming in the middle of the night. She told them all that she was sick and to leave her alone. She was sick, just thinking about last night made her shake with fever, why was this happening to her, why was this happening to her? She kept asking herself that question with no answer. And Jaedites' words just didn't seem to want to leave her head. They rang through her mind over and over and over again till she was feeling sick just thinking about them.  
  
"I'll be back for you Rai."  
  
AN: There you go guys, another chapter is up. Not what you have expected was it, or maybe you have expected something like this, I don't know. Anyways, thanks for all the nice reviews I got, you guys are all very generous, keep them coming, I want to know what you think. 


	3. The birth

Jaedite looked over the city from the top of the Tokyo tower. He was not really doing anything, just playing with Rayes' transformation stick and thinking, He has been doing just that for a whole day now, ever since he left the fire senshi. She said that Queen Beryl was dead, that was why he was free, Queen Beryls' power was the force that supported the negaverce up until now, with her dead its' might has collapsed and all that is left there now must be just swirling energy, the leftover of its' creatures. Jaedite was lucky, he was not created by Queen Beryl like most of the negaverse creatures were, not all, but most. He thought that there were most likely other survivors that were of foreign origin like himself but came to serve Beryl.  
  
The young general thought that the fall of the negaverse could be to his advantage in more ways then it already was. With a smirk he teleported to what has previously been the centre of the negaverce. The sight that presented itself before him was disgusting. It wasn't just ruins, it was the chaos that was all over the place, there were half destroyed and half created monsters crawling all over the place, they shouldn't be even alive, but they were.  
  
Jaedite stepped back repulsed by the sight of a one eyed creature that was trying to grab him with its' half formed arm. Mucus was all over its' body which wasn't much. The thing was missing half of its' head and everything below its' chest. This thing couldn't even be called a creature. It was some kind of deviation, a freak thing born of colliding energy. Jaedite incinerated the thing with his fire, he was disgusted by what has become with this place.  
  
The negaverce was a barren wasteland, freak plants that seemed to have a mind of their own grew everywhere. There place was filled with things that resembled the one he destroyed earlier. It was cold and ugly and it reeked of death everywhere. Jaedite was disgusted to even be here, but he thought that he could fix this place a little. By a little he meant destroying it all, and that was just what he did next.  
  
There was fire burning everywhere, the place turned from a barren, except for the freak things that occupied it where it was not barren, wasteland to a fiery inferno. If one could ever find a definition for hell, this would be it. Fire rained from the sky, it exploded from the earth, it was everywhere. The energy that has ignited this holocaust was not all Jaedites as well as the energy that sustained the negaverse before was not all Beryls', it was the raw energy that lived here on its' own. Once someone came along and brought order to this chaos that energy attached itself to that person, it became one with that person making that person ruler of the domain and placing great power at that persons' feet. So has happened with the mighty Queen Beryl, but she has failed to conserve that energy. The power stays and the ruler stays until there is someone stronger then the both combined that comes along and takes the old rulers' place claiming the negapower for him or herself. But when the power is not claimed, there comes a chaos, the energy obtains a mind of its' own, creating, destroying and changing reality by the will of chance until someone of great power comes along to claim it once more.  
  
Jaedite was that man of great power. He came and he brought fire with him, and with fire there was passion brought into the negaverse. The sky was on fire, the place was breathing flame and where the earth cracked to reveal the raging mantle below new creatures were born, born of fire.  
  
Jaedite looked at his creation, he has joined with the aimless force that has roamed this place on its' own after Queen Beryl was no more. He has molded that force to his own desire and he has obtained power greater then the old Queen could have ever mastered, for his was the passion, that passion of fire!  
  
The new Kaiser of the fire domain sat upon his newly created throne and watched over the land. It has changes, it breathed rage, passion and fire from its' very core. And from its' core there was new life born everywhere. Jaedite now understood his new outfit, it was his new royal outfit, he has just been promoted.  
  
The Kaisers' eyes fell upon Sailor Mars' transformation stick, it was still in his hand. Following some drive from the back of his mind Jaedite summoned his new power and created out of the celestial flames a staff. It was a long golden staff that ended with a claw holding a living flame in its' grasp.  
  
Jaedite waved his new staff controlling and directing his power and the new creations of the negaverse came forth and bowed before their Kaiser. He has waved it again and a flame appeared in the air and in the flame he saw the image of a girl. Rai.  
  
The Kaiser held up the transformation stick and his own flames have enveloped it and it has been changed. The handle was black, the rims were red and the star with the mars sign was now held by an evil claw.  
  
"Feel my power Sailor Mars!" exclaimed Jaedite as the transformation tool was enveloped by flames and transported to its' rightful owner. The Kaiser of the fire realm laughed as the image of the girl faded replaced by the image of earth, enveloped in flames. The reign of fire has begun!  
  
Rai was meditating with her flames, but her senses were deaf, as if some greater power outshined them, outpowered her. As if there was a greater passion born of fire that has overtaken her place, her fire failed before it, her mind clashed and was crushed by its' grandness, her light faded in its darkness of desire, its dark and infinite passion.  
  
Rai was jolted awake from her trance and her fire went out, swallowed by the other power. In its' place lay her transformation tool, but as she saw it, it was no longer truly hers. Rai picked it up and as she touched it she felt the fire within, that fire that so greatly outshone her own, that passion that overwhelmed her senses rendering them useless, it was here, and it came back for her.  
  
The sailor senshi of fire was faced with a harsh reality, her time to burn bright was over, a new flame has ignited with unseen before power and that flames' name was Jaedite. Tears fell down Rais' face as she pondered her future existence. She clutched her transformation stick in her hands close to her chest as she doubled over and cried.  
  
"I'll be back for you Rai."  
  
He has kept his word true.  
  
AN: Here you go guys, another chapter is up, Jaedite has just achieved something unachievable, he took the place of Queen Beryl herself, but what does he want? That still remains unknown, whatever will poor Rai do? And yes, I think I'll use this spelling of the name although the proper spelling of the anime version is Raye.  
  
Also guys, thanks for all the reviews, but I want to get at least 30 till I next update, I want to know if there is something you don't like about the story so far or if I should continue, tell me. 


	4. The betrayal

"Rai, hurry up! We are under attack!" yelled Lita into the communicator, she seemed frantic and what was seen behind her looked like someones' image of hell. The scouts were being trashed by a creature that looked like a red dragon and breathed fire.  
  
"We need Rai here, fire is her thing, she can handle this!" yelled Mercury when the dragon thing melted her attack.  
  
Rai stood in her room, she has received the massage, but could she help them? She held up her transformation stick, it has changed, somehow Rai felt that it had became evil. The claw that held her star, the predominantly black colour, what effect would this have on her transformation?  
  
Rai didn't have time to think about it, her friends were in trouble, she had to help them! Rai held up her transformation stick and yelled  
  
"Mars star power!"  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
She just stood there with her stick in the air, she was not transforming.  
  
"What's wrong with this stick?! Jaedite! What have you done to it?!" Rai was frustrated, how could he do this, how could he change it so that it would no longer listen to her?  
  
A voice whispered in Rais' mind and by some instinct the right words came to her as if she always knew them, as if she had said them before.  
  
"NegaMars dark make-up!"  
  
She yelled the words and fire exploded from her star. Dark fire encircled her, enveloping her in its' suffocating energy, it was like nothing she has ever felt before. It was powerful, hot, choking! It felt like being enveloped by ones' darkest desires. Rai knew it was hers, it was hers just as much as it was someone elses'. It was the darkness that was sleeping deep within herself, unleashed.  
  
Ray surveyed herself fully transformed. Her Sailor uniform was different. The gloves were shorter and the fingers were cut of to reveal long, sharp, black claws! Claws! When did Rai ever have claws! She was petrified.  
  
Also, the rest of her uniform changed, most of it was black, but the edges of her skirt had a flame pattern all around them. The bows on her chest and her back were dark red, the color of blood. And the little heart in the middle of the bow on her chest was replaced by a red stone which had living fore burning inside and was held by that same evil claw.  
  
"What has happened to me.?" whispered Rai on the verge of tears.  
  
No! She could not cry, she could not break down when her friends needed her! But she also could not let her friends see her like this, they would never understand. Rai already felt guilty for not telling her friends what has happened. They were worried about her and she just blew them of like that.  
  
As fast as she could, Rai ran to the place the signal came from. As she has expected, there was a fire based creature fighting the scouts. For a moment Rai hesitated in attacking it, the feeling wasn't right, she didn't even know her own power any more.  
  
As she ran here, she felt a pressure in her chest, like there was something choking her. The little fire burning there, it hurt, it hurt so much! It burned away at her heart, never before has fire ever hurt Rai, but this was no regular fire, this was her celestial fire, imprisoned within that claw by Jaedites' evil powers.  
  
That was how Rai truly felt, she felt imprisoned, like she was not her own person, like she lived in someone elses' shadow.  
  
Ray's thoughts were interrupted as a scream was heard from Mina. The senshi of love was completely knocked out and reasonably hurt. This monster, it was so strong, never before have the scouts faced anything as powerful as this.  
  
Amys' ice had no effect on it, Jupiters' lightning seemed to just dissipate as it neared the aura of heat that surrounded the creature, and Sailor Moon, well, she was just being her cowardly self and was currently crying on the ground.  
  
This was just as much as Rai could take. With a scream, she charged at the creature. That thing was made of fire, she was confident that she could take it!  
  
This time Rai was more sensible than to use the old words for her attack. She wasn't even thinking as the words came to her on their own  
  
"Dark Celestial fire, ignite!"  
  
A swirl of dark flames rushed toward the monster.  
  
"Yay! It's Sailor Mars!" yelled Sailor Moon jumping up from the ground "What happened to you?!" only now did the Moon child notice Rais' new form.  
  
Serenas' hear filled with worry, something wasn't right, this new look, something has been done to Rai, something bad has been done to her friend.  
  
"Quiet!" yelled Rai not realizing how readily she has snapped at Serenity, it was jst something inside her, something that was trying to break free.  
  
Only when she saw Serenitys' scared eyes did Rai realize what has she done.  
  
Rais' fire collided with the dragon creature, but instead of disintegrating into smoke, the creature roared, the fire surrounded it, and when it was gone, the thing was twice it's original size.  
  
Rai stared in disbelief, that thing just swallowed her energy as if it was nothing, as if it was suitable energy for it to feed on.dark energy.  
  
Desperately Rai prepared to attack agai, but she received the same result.  
  
"Stop Sailor Mars, don't attack, you are helping it!" she heard Litas' voice from the side, but for some reason there was an urge inside of her, that dark desire, to just et it all go, to just let it free and allow it to burn, that dark desire, it was irresistible.  
  
Rai let go, for the third time her fore hurled towards the creature and for the third time it was swallowed, transformed, and the thing grew.  
  
The next attack came from that thing, fueled by Sailor Mars' dark energy, it let out a blast that sent the whole Sailor team crushing to the ground.  
  
"No, this can not be!" Serenitys' eyes were watering as she saw her friends fall to the ground, all except for Rai, for some reason, the fire just passed right by her, not even singing a hair on her head.  
  
Ignoring the pain she was feeling, Sailor Moon raised her crystal  
  
"Cosmic Moon Power!" she summoned the power that she used to defeat Queen Beryl herself.  
  
The creature screamed, and for a moment Serena thought that she couldn't do it, but then, it's fire diminished and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke.  
  
"Rai! Why did you attack?! Didn't you see that you were only helping that thing?!" yelled Lita angrily holding her bloody arm and shoulder. The girl couldn't get up, her leg was broken and bleeding in many places.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I was just trying to help." whispered Rai shocked by her friends' tone.  
  
"Rai, what has happened to you? You are not the same, you are not the kind and caring friend that I knew, the Rai I knew would never attack blindly and ignore her friends, what happened?" Mina was looking at her with wide eyes.  
  
Amy was not looking anywhere at all, the ice senshi was unconscious. The only person left to turn to was Serena, the senshi of light, she surely would understand. The kind and gentle Serena had to understand.  
  
Rai was about to throw herself at Serena asking her if she could ever forgive her, she was about to tell her what happened, explain everything, beg not to be abandoned.  
  
But Serena drew back.  
  
Fear, pain and disbelief could be seen in her clear blue eyes. She shook her head frightfully.  
  
"No, don't come close, you are not the Rai I knew, I don't know who you are, you are one of them, leave us alone! What have you done to Rai?!" tears were running down her bruised and scratched up face.  
  
"Serena, I."  
  
"No! Don't Serena me! You are not Rai, I don't believe you, Rai would never help the negaverce, Rai would never turn on her friends!" Serenas' eyes showed so much fear in them.  
  
Rai couldn't believe this, they didn't believe her!  
  
"Listen to me!" she advanced Serena.  
  
The girl drew back  
  
"Would you just listen!" Rai didn't know what came over her, the next thing she knew, her hand just moved on its' own.  
  
There was a loud crack.  
  
Serena fell to the ground.  
  
A mark from Rais' hand was bright on her pale face, and there were also four long scratches where Rais' claws have grazed the skin.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Serena screamed as blood trickled down her cheek.  
  
There was a deadly silence.  
  
What have I done! Rais' mind raced.  
  
"Serena, I'm so." she tried to approach the girl but stopped as she gazed into her terrified eyes.  
  
Rai tried to look to the other scouts, there was nothing, only shock, fear, disbelief, no understanding whatsoever.  
  
What have I done.!  
  
Rai couldn't bare the silence any more, she ran, ran as if her life depended on it. She didn't go back to the temple, there was no place for her there any more. She just ran, anywhere, anywhere that her feet took her.  
  
Finally, she fell to her knees exhausted. Tears were streaming down her face as she beat down on the ground with her fists in frustration. She was such a mess, her eyes swollen, her hair messy, her uniform dirty and torn from falling a numerous times. Her fists were bloody from banging on the ground.  
  
What was happening to her?! What has Jaedite done to her, he turned her into some kind of a monster! Ray cried and cried and cried. She felt so miserable and scared, and guilty. Guilty for what she has done, she has almost killed the scouts because she couldn't stop, she couldn't resist that dark temptation, that awful temptation. And Rai was so scared, so very scared, she was terrified, terrified of herself.  
  
She has turned on her princess, she has turned on the scouts, her powers worked for the good of evil and she felt like she couldn't stop. There was something growing inside of her, something suffocating her, choking her from within. Something that turned her entire world upside down and made her feel like her whole life was collapsing, burning, in one fiery inferno.  
  
"What am I?!" cried Sailor Mars choking on her own tears.  
  
"Having fun? I thought you knew who you were, you don't seem so sure any more Sailor Mars." a taunting voice came from above.  
  
Rai looked up, there, high up on a tree brunch sat her worst nightmare, and the origin of her darkest desires, the source of her evil temptation.Jaedite.  
  
Rai paled, all of a sudden she felt like getting sick again.  
  
"What do you want from me?" her voice was quiet and terrified, barely a whisper.  
  
"I thought you knew." Jaedite wore that same smirk on his face, only now did Rai notice that what he wore was much like what her uniform looked like. And that stuff he held, that claw and that fire, that was her bondage.  
  
Rai couldn't take it any more, getting up shakily from the ground she ran again, she ran from them and from him, she couldn't face either. Rai was a lost spirit, not good, not evil, she was so very lost, so she ran, ran from everyone, ran from the world and the cruel reality she was so mercilessly thrown into.  
  
And the tears kept falling, they kept falling like there was no end to them, hot, burning tears, they couldn't quench the fire that was burning at her soul.  
  
"I'll be back for you!" Jaedites' laughter could be heard somewhere behind her.  
  
Rai felt so hopeless, not once in her life has she ever felt hopeless, but now she did. She saw no life ahead on the road of life, and if before, her fire was her hope, now there was none, she was beaten, so she ran.  
  
An: Here you are, I want some reviews people, the future of this story depends on how many reviews I get, I want at least 30 before I update, I said that I wanted 30 in the last chapter, but since I wasn't getting many and I wanted to write, I was nice and updated, I won't be this nice this time, review and tell me what you think. 


	5. The release

Jaedite watched the fire senshi run from him. Seeing her run like this was something new to him, it left him pondering. He was thinking about why in the world was it ever so hard to defeat her before, he tried so hard last time and she seemed unbreakable, but this time, he barely done anything and she was completely crushed.  
  
Jaedite shrugged and disappeared going back to his own realm. There was a lot on his mind, a lot he wanted to think about and maybe rethink some of the things he has been taught to think.  
  
Sitting down on his thrown Jaedite looked over his domain, the negaverce, it was barely the same place that he knew it to be before. It resembled hell in many ways, and in this hell, he was the devil.  
  
Jaedite remembered the old days and he thought that he knew now why it was not so hard to defeat Mars this time. He unknowingly used the war strategy that humans themselves used for generations, divide and concur. The scout's strength was their teamwork, a concept that Beryl never understood. When Sailor Mars was left alone and separated from the others, she was easy prey.  
  
There was something else that made Beryl loose other then lack of teamwork. It was Beryl's resentment of change. She was not willing to change her life, her methods, her strategies, even though she knew that they have failed her before.  
  
Queen Beryl would just send in more and more soldiers and just watch them be destroyed one after the other. She was not willing to change the strategies that have already failed her in the Silver Millennium. She was not willing to adapt herself and she was not willing to adapt the negaverce in order to defeat this new enemy.  
  
Queen Beryl always lived in the past never willing to adapt to the future, that was why she had failed, and that was why they couldn't defeat the scouts before.  
  
Change was good, it allowed for development to happened, it allowed for improvement and innovation. Jaedite brought in many changes and the changes have served him well. He was able to adopt and was stronger then ever, the negaverce has evolved.  
  
So why were then these very changes destroying Rai? Jaedite knew the answer to that question all to well, perhaps from experience more then anything else. The reason she was failing was because she was repeating Beryl's and his early mistake, she was not willing to adapt to the changes that has happened to her, she was not willing to accept them and grow with them. Instead, she was fighting them. She was fighting herself instead of fighting him, and she was the one who was ultimately destroying herself.  
  
You can not fight the changes forever, the world is constantly changing, nothing that is static ever survives in this world and those who refuse to adpt to the changes are inevitably destroyed.  
  
Jaedite realized now that it wasn't so much his power that was defeating her, it was the fact that he brought in something different, a weapon that she didn't know how to fight, something she has never faced before. Something she didn't know how to deal with and instead of facing it head on she was denying it.  
  
Rai was running away from her problem, not him. She would never run from him, she was only running from herself.  
  
The changes that he brought upon her were new therefore unknown. People have a fear of the unknown, a fear so great that it was capable of destroying them.  
  
Jaedite watched Rai in his fore screen as she wondered the streets alone, aimlessly with no purpose whatsoever. She was indeed beautiful and the only reason he didn't notice that before was because thinking like that meant having to change something, and before, he was not willing to change.  
  
Sailor Mars was beautiful, her pain was beautiful, her loneliness was beautiful. The former negaverce general no longer even found her a pest, she was more like a challenge for him, a puzzle that he was going to solve.  
  
Rai was still very much a mystery to him. The girl was struggling with a part of herself that was always there inside of her, but until she began to fight it, never was a problem. She was going to be destroyed if this went on, and it wasn't him that was going to destroy her, if this went on, she was going to destroy herself, one way, or the other.  
  
Surprisingly, Jaedite didn't want her to be completely destroyed by the change, for some reason, for some very strange reason, he actually wanted her to adopt to the change. Could it be that Jaedite actually liked Rai? Probably not. Did he need her? Definitely.  
  
He needed her and the scouts. He needed someone to oppose him, for when there is no struggle, then there is no life.  
  
Jaedite would make sure that he change will hurt her, but he would also make sure that it didn't destroy her, this was the perfect revenge. He was going to make her his, he was going to make her the property of the one she hates most.'  
  
The former general smirked, it was not really a cruel smirk, more like a smirk that suggested that he was confident in his intentions and knew exactly what he was going to do.  
  
Rai had been walking around the city for a very long while. She was lost and hurt, but she didn't look like she was, not anymore anyways. She has fixed herself up so she wasn't looking so suspicious, walking around in rags was bound to make people stare at you. People staring and lots of attention was the last thing NegaSailor Mars wanted at the moment.  
  
Dark Mars was staying as far away as possible from the place where the scouts normally hung out. But she was not too worried about running into any one of them, as hurt as they were the last time she saw them, she didn't think they would be hanging out anywhere other then the nearest hospital.  
  
Rai was pondering what were Jaedite's motifs, there seemed no sane reason or pattern to his actions, has that guy actually finally lost his mind? He somehow became much more powerful then he used to be, she knew that all too well, so why couldn't he just destroy her and be over with it? That is, if that was what he wanted. Rai was sure that it was when he first came back, but right now, she was starting to wonder if she was wrong. Everything was so confusing, there was no sense whatsoever in trying to figure out what Jaedite was up to, other then what he actually told her. Right now, she was starting to believe that maybe it really was what he said, that all Jaedite was trying to do was have fun, only fun for him meant a lot of pain for her.  
  
Five days have passed since her encounter with the other scouts, five days of pointless wondering from place to place. Everything seemed so meaningless to her. At the moment she almost wished for Jaedite to come back, maybe at least, then she would get some answers out of him.  
  
One thing Rai knew for sure, if he did come back, she could not freak out again, she had to stay and force herself not to run away however much she wanted to run. If she ran again, she would be back where she started, she would never get anywhere like that.  
  
Rai sighed as she sat down on a park bench and looked over a small pond and cherry blossoms, it was nice here, very nice.  
  
"Enjoying yourself?"  
  
Right behind her Rai heard a voice that became far too familiar to her. She wished just a minute ago that he would come back, but now that he did, she was overcome by panic again, she wanted to run, wanted to get away, but she had to force herself to stay, she had to.  
  
"Jaedite?" she whispered quietly and hopelessly.  
  
"You are not freaking out, I'd thought that you would want to run away again." Jaedite's voice was somewhat taunting, but not much.  
  
"What is it that you exactly want from me Jaedite, does it cause you such great pleasure to see me hurt like this to continue this sick game of yours? Why don't you just destroy me like you can and get it over with, is there some particular pleasure that you get from keeping someone alive just so you can see them suffer?" her head was hung low and her voice was so pitiful, so not like the usual brave and rebellious Sailor Mars.  
  
"You would be surprised Rai, I'm not completely the sick bastard that you think I am." He put his hands on her shoulders and felt her first tense and then relax in submission, she was tired, she was tired of fighting. She has spent too long trying to fight of herself and she had no strength left to fight him of. Rai started to cry, the pain she was feeling, she could not hold it back any more, not with him so close and seemingly so gentle with her.  
  
"No?" she asked through her tears referring to his denial.  
  
Rai closed her eyes to try and suppress her tears, the next time she opened them Jaedite was right in front of her, looking at her. His expression was weird, he actually didn't seem happy to see her like this.  
  
Rai was so tired, too tired to fight, she didn't even have the strength left to yell at him, tell him how she hated him, she just wanted all of this to be over, however that happened.  
  
"Rai, I could make it all go away. Come with me and you won't have to hurt any more." His hand moved from her shoulder to her face as he cupped the side of it in his palm.  
  
Rai tensed as he neared her once again, this time even closer, she was starting to panic again, it was happening again, he was going to do it again, she could feel it.  
  
The fire senshi was scared, not scared that he would hurt her, at that moment she almost wished that he did and got it over with, she was scared that he would not hurt her. She was scared that this time she would not be able to stop herself, that she would actually like it.  
  
"No. . . please. . . don't. . ." she tried to push him away, but her hands weren't listening to her much. Only tears spilled out of her eyes as he kissed her, deeply yet so gently. It felt so foreign, this couldn't be Jaedite, this couldn't be the same person that she knew before.  
  
His lips were so hot, wet kisses trailed her neck and her jaw-line as he brought her even closer to himself fully wrapping his arms around her. Rai was not used to this heat coming from him, she used to know Jeadite as very cold, cruel and uncaring man. He has changed a lot, he was probably still cruel, even more so then before, but he was no longer cold, and now he actually cared about what he did, she knew that he did, he didn't just do anything any more because he was told to.  
  
Now, even if he hurt her, he did it with passion. He didn't just hurt her, he acknowledged that he did and he cared that he did, not necessarily cared about her, just about what it is he was doing.  
  
Rai didn't notice as her eyes fell shut and her body relaxed in his strong arms. She didn't seem to care any more, she was so hurt, broken and alone that she was ready to seek comfort in anyone's arms, even the arms of her worst enemy if they were open for her. A wave of sorrow overflowed her as she finally gave up the inner struggle with herself and threw herself deeper in his arms.  
  
She cried and sobbed as she clung on to him burying her face in his silk black shirt. As she wrapped her arms around him holding on to him as if he was her last life support she couldn't help but desperately dig her claws deep into his back drawing hot blood, his blood.  
  
She hated him, she hated him so much bet she held on to him because being with the one she hated was better then being completely alone. It was easier to blame him rater then blame herself, it was better to feel pain rather then not feel anything at all.  
  
Jaedite was startled by her reaction. Before, he was sure that she would scream at him, fight him, push him away, he expected that, but he did not expect her to give up. He never thought that if he pushed her too far she just might break, he didn't realize that if she did, then it would be all over. If he won, then the game would be over, and so will be any fun that he was having.  
  
He thought that she was unbreakable, why, he knew that he was stronger then her, why did he think that she would not give up no matter what, why did he think that he would play this game forever? Jeadite was now realizing that he never really wanted to defeat her, it was like playing a game or solving a puzzle, once you beat it, once you solve it, it's not fun any more.  
  
Jaedite never thought of it like that, he liked the game, not the prize. Once the game was over, there was a sense of disappointment there. So what if he won this particular game, there was no feeling of accomplishment there, he didn't achieve anything except ruining one young girl's life.  
  
That was not much of an achievement, he destroyed her pride, her will to live, extinguished her fire and destroyed her beauty, there was no glory in that. Jaedite was feeling sick, he wasn't sure why, was it guilt, was this really what he wanted to do?  
  
Jeadite winced when Rai's claws dug deep into his back but he forced himself to ignore the pain where the sharp long claws ripped at his flesh, after all, he was the one who gave her those claws. He buried his face in her hair as he drew his arms closer around her.  
  
What in hell was wrong with him, was he actually guilty, was this what it felt like to be guilty? Was he actually sorry for what he did? Or was he just sorry for her, for what he has done to her?  
  
Jaedite stroked Rai's head and back soothingly and gently, this was not what he has wanted, not what he was aiming for. He wanted to make her greater then she was before, a bigger challenge, not this. This was not beautiful, not beautiful at all, this was not the Sailor Mars that fascinated him so much. He used to love her strength and her fire when it still burned bright, she was his rival, someone who could compete with him and it felt right to be opposed, it gave him a sense of purpose, defeating her was his purpose, now, he had no purpose.  
  
He has destroyed what he loved, he hated what he has done to her, he was sick with himself for allowing this, for making this happen. Now that he has destroyed her, now that the old Sailor Mars was gone, he realized that he loved her without ever knowing it, he loved the game and the competition.  
  
Jaedite sighed as he pondered his true motifs with the crying girl in his arms, it was true, he never really wanted to defeat her, he just enjoyed fighting her. Now, the feeling with which he was left was loss, not the triumph of a victor, he was not feeling good at all.  
  
He was angry, angry at himself for crossing that line, that thin line between blowing on the fire to make it burn brighter and blowing it out. He hated himself for attacking her so hard that her hope and will to fight on were destroyed.  
  
And Jaedite was angry at her, angry at her for giving up, she made it too easy, it was just to easy, defeating her was not the challenge that he could be proud of. It was sickening how easily he has broken her, it felt like crushing someone that never had a chance, not a challenge, just simple slaughter of a defenseless girl, or her heart for she might as well not have had any power at all, it was just so small comparing to him. What was the glory in defeating someone who was that much weaker then himself?  
  
He could not say that he defeated an opponent in battle when his 'opponent' gave up due to the fact that she didn't have even a ghost of a chance. It was just so sickening, he hadn't defeated her, more like slaughtered a helpless person, he could not be proud of that.  
  
"Damn in Sailor Mars! Damn it, stop that crying! This isn't how you really are, tell me it isn't." his voice was angry and almost pleading of her to tell him that he was wrong, that he had not completely shattered her heart when she could not even defend herself from him.  
  
Mars tensed and only tightened her hold on him, she didn't have to though, he was not pushing her away. He would if he knew that it would make her angry, that it would spark another fire inside of her, but he knew, as far as he pushed her, if he did that, it would only serve as a final blow to the already dying flame that she was, he would only kill her then and he would not forgive himself if he did that.  
  
"Isn't this what you wanted Jaedite? You got it, you won, I'm defeated, what else do you want from me? Why aren't you celebrating, why aren't you laughing, you did it, there is no more Sailor Mars, aren't you happy?" she cried looking up at him staring in his blue/grey eyes, fresh tears sparkling in her dark violet ones.  
  
He just shook his head sadly, this was not what he wanted, he was not happy, not at all. Right now, if he could reverse his doings somehow, he would not hesitate to do so.  
  
"Then what did you want Jadite?" her voice was so broken.  
  
"I wanted a challenge, someone who would fight me, a struggle rather then the victory." His eyes became even sadder as he leaned her head against his shoulder stroking her hair gently "How sick am I Sailor Mars, going around and picking on those weaker then me and expecting a challenge of them." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head lingering in that position for a minute or two as his eyes closed , he didn't do much, just hold her, that all.  
  
"I ruined your game, didn't I?"  
  
"You sure did."  
  
"I'm a toy you don't need Jaedite, there is no more challenge for you here, why don't you just leave me then?"  
  
Jaedite growled at her words his eyes narrowing angrily.  
  
"I'm not THAT sick Sailor Mars! I'm not a sick bastard that would ruin someone's life for his own amusement and leave them there!" he was angry that she suggested that he would.  
  
This was too much, this was just too much for Sailor Mars to take. He was telling her that he actually cared about what happened to her, and that was after her own friends didn't give a shit about what came of her, accepting this was just too much for her. And here she was, in the arms of her enemy and he cared about her! This was just too much, next thing you know, and Sailor Moon would be running to her saying that it was ok that she was a monster and that they all forgive her. Sailor Mars didn't know what she wanted to do, cry or laugh, or maybe both.  
  
Rai burst into tears all over again, it was just too much for her to handle.  
  
It was at that moment that Jaedite felt two energy signatures approaching them. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury, they must've traced his energy and were coming to see what was going on. An idea struck him. Forcefully Jaedite took control of Rai's body with his power that was surging inside of her, he overrode her mind with his power and was now controlling her.  
  
She looked at him confused, why was he bothering to do this, she was not going to fight him, why? He made her get up and step away.  
  
"Leave me the hell alone!!!" her voice screamed at him loudly against her will and her face took on an expression of anger.  
  
Rai was so confused, was he so desperate that he would make her fight him this way, it was ridiculous!  
  
She was confused, that is until she felt the scouts approaching. NO!!! He wouldn't, why? No, please!!! Her mind begged as she thought that he was going to use her to fight them or as bait to get them here.  
  
The two scouts were running in the direction of the signal and as they approached it was becoming stronger.  
  
Mercury ran in front of Moon.  
  
"I'm tracing two energy signals, very powerful, definitely from the negaverce!" she yelled as she ran. Then all of a sudden she stopped in her tracks.  
  
"Why did you stop?!" asked Sailor Moon somewhat confused by Mercury's expression, the senshi of ice was so pale, she looked like she has just seen a ghost or something.  
  
"Sailor Moon, I don't think we should go anywhere near whatever it is that my readings are showing."  
  
"Why?!" Sailor Moon was almost angry, her friend was not telling her something.  
  
"These reading are way of charts. Serena, whatever is out there, it is about a hundred times stronger then Queen Beryl was in her final form." Amy looked very pale, and by the looks of it, she did NOT want to find out what it was out there.  
  
They have died fighting the servants of Beryl and it took all the power Serena had to defeat the Queen, whatever was out there was way more powerful then Beryl was, and it was just it's normal energy, so what would happened if it raised that energy to it's fighting level?  
  
"Serna, what I'm trying to tell you is that if we go anywhere near that, we will die." Amy looked ghostly pale, as if she was ill.  
  
Mercury's hands were shaking just a bit at the thought as to what it might be to be giving out such an energy, and that if they had to face that next, then they had no chance whatsoever.  
  
Serena looked unsure for a moment as her hand strayed to four deep scratch marks on her face, the marks that were to stay there forever, a reminder of her lost friend. Suddenly her eyes filled with hurt and anger.  
  
"NO! We are going!!! Whatever is out there took Sailor Mars from us, I don't care about what happens to me, you can stay, but I'm going!!!" her voice was unusually angry, it was not like Serena to be this brave or this angry, Mercury was shocked. Their friend, they lost their friend, there was no taking Serena out of this.  
  
Serena never faced danger head on before, especially when she was told that she would not survive the fight, the loss of Mars must've done this to her.  
  
The girls didn't get a chance to discuss this as they heard a shout from that direction, a shout that sounded familiar.  
  
That has done it for both of them as they took of running in the direction the scream came from. As they neared the scene, the sight that presented itself was not what they had expected.  
  
There stood Sailor Mars angry and defiant and obviously very hurt, fresh tears glistened in her eyes and fear showed in the bottomless depths. When the scouts saw who it was that she was facing they got the greatest shock of the day, it was no other then Jaedite, and the tremendous energy that Mercury scanned before was coming from him!!! The second shock of the day, for the first one was seeing Sailor Mars cry, the girl was too proud to ever show such emotion, she never cried, this was major.  
  
"Rai?" whispered Serena unsure and truly confused, she had thought that Rai was one with the negaverse now, so why was she?  
  
'Yes, it is working' thought Jaedite as he smirked a little. He could feel Rai's confusion, the scouts have not shown themselves yet, they were being careful, but that didn't matter, he had gotten their attention and more importantly, they still didn't know that they knew of their presence.  
  
Rai was afraid for her friends, but it didn't matter now, soon she would understand why he was doing what he was, he has not gone mad, she'll know soon enough.  
  
"What in hell do you want from me?!!!" Rai screamed angrily her voice being controlled by Jaedite.  
  
"Not much, just you. You see my dear, you are going to be the one who destroys your friends for me, and I'm going to just sit back and watch." Jeadite laughed as he looked at her, her expression turning to uncontrollable rage as he willed it to.  
  
"Sailor Moon, it's a trap, I'm sure of it!!!" whispered Mercury urgently as she saw Serena's indecision.  
  
"How can you be sure?"  
  
"I don't know, I just think so."  
  
Rai was more confused then ever before, it looked like Jeadite was putting on an act, but what for?  
  
"Never!!! You're sick!!! I'll never hurt them!!!" she yelled her voice not hers any more.  
  
"No? I don't think you can help it, you already nearly killed them, you couldn't stop no matter how hard you tried, what makes you think that next time will be any different?"  
  
"I'll tell, you what, they don't consider me one of them any more, they'll fight me like any monster of yours that you send against them. They'll destroy me before I get the chance to hurt them!!!"  
  
"They would destroy their own friend." Jeadite's voice turned doubtful and unsure, although that too was an act, a very good act.  
  
"They don't think of me as a friend any more, so it works out for the best of all of us."  
  
"Really, and you wouldn't want to destroy them?"  
  
"NO!!!"  
  
"Why not, they don't care about you, they didn't even let you explain yourself, don't you want to get back at them for that?"  
  
"NO!!!" Rai clutched her head covering her ears with her hands.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because they are my friends, they might not know that, but they are my friends, I would never hurt them I would die before I hurt them again!!! But then again, you would never understand, friendship is a foreign concept to you Jaedite!!!" she seemed enraged but inside she was frightened, confused and hurt by the arguments that Jaedite was bringing up, it was all too true, they never did let her explain. It was frightening how well jadeite has judged her character, they would never be able to tell that it was not her yelling at him, that the words said were not hers, but his.  
  
Jaedite frowned as if angry.  
  
"Well, if that is the case, then what use do I have for you?"  
  
Rai's eyes, controlled by Jaedite widened as if in fear.  
  
A fireball appeared in Jaedite's hand and he hurled it at Rai.  
  
~I'm sorry Rai~ he sent her one last telepathic message as she blacked out from the impact.  
  
"Well, would you look at that, she's not dead yet." Mused Jaedite as if to himself, but in reality, he was doing it so that the other scouts could hear him. "Well, I can fix that." Another fire ball appeared in his hand and he was about to hurl it at Rai who has de-transformed on the ground from the loss of energy.  
  
That was all the convincing Mercury and Moon needed as they jumped out of the bushes where they were hurling attacks at the supposedly unsuspecting Jaedite.  
  
"Moon Tiara Magic!!!" yelled Sailor Moon  
  
"Shine Aqua in Motion!!!" yelled Sailor Mercury  
  
Jaedite could have easily stopped the attacks, but instead, he let them hit providing that supposedly he was taken by surprise and giving him a valid reason to leave his job unfinished and retreat without making it seem too easy.  
  
"Well, well, would you look at that, they decide to save her now, after they abandoned her!" he growled as he doubled over and fell to one knee, he was not hurt, but he was pretending that he was.  
  
"What have you done to her Jaedite?!!!" yelled Sailor Moon angrily.  
  
"Nothing that concerns you, but if you must know, her transformation tool has been infused with my nega-power, she will never be able to transform the same again!!!" Jeadites voice was full of face malice. He laughed at their shocked faces and disappeared in an explosion of celestial fire.  
  
"Rai!!!" Serena yelled as she ran to her unconscious friend. Rai's claws were gone, her black fiery uniform was gone, she looked normal, but beside her lay a black with red strips transformation stick and the star of Mars was held by an evil claw of the negaverce.  
  
Rai was out cold but not very hurt, the scouts didn't think of why the fire didn't seemingly harm her, it was like before, they never thought much of why her won fire never burnt her, they thought that it was natural for her.  
  
"Rai!!! I'm so sorry, oh Rai, I wasn't there for you, gods Rai, I am so sorry!!!" sobbed Serena as she fell to her knees beside her unconscious friend and clutched Rai's hand in her own. She cradled Rai's limp body in her arms spilling crystal tears over the pale face of the fire senshi, her tears mixing with Rai's.  
  
"Let'sget her out of here, she needs medical attention!" came Amy's concerned voice, she was looking around the place keeping watch for anything else that might come their way.  
  
Later on, Serena and Amy explained the story and what to happened to the other senshi showing them Rai's transformation stick as proof. Amy scanned it, it was true, the power tool was fully infused with the dark energy of the negaverce. The scouts came to a mutual conclusion that it truly was not Rai's fault and an aura of common guilt was in the air as they watched Rai sleep her dreamless sleep, they never let her explain, and she was so hurt, they knew she was, for Rai never cried, her heart was broken and it was not only Jaedite's fault, it was theirs too, they rejected her just like that. And she was ready to die for them, they didn't know no other truth as they watched her struggle in her sleep.  
  
"Oh Rai, what are we going to do with you?" whispered Serena as she kneeled by her friend's bed. "Whatever happens Rai, I won't abandon you again, I promice." She whispered as her hand once again strayed to the scars on her face and a tear fell down her cheek.  
  
Outside, a pair of blue/grey stormy eyes watched. He didn't know why he had done what he has done, he wanted her for himself, yet, he let her go, he helped her. He didn't know why he cared, maybe it was something more then the game that he loved?  
  
It didn't matter now, he has lost her forever, she was back with her friends now, she didn't need him any more, she will never throw herself in his arms again. Jaedite still felt a sense of loss, but this time, strangely enough, it didn't feel so bad, there was just the loss, not the guilt, that was better, wasn't it? He didn't know, he thought he didn't know himself any more, didn't know what he thought or what he felt or why he did what he did.  
  
As Jaedite returned to his fiery hell he had a sense that there was more to this story then was told, the game was not over yet, only now, he didn't know who's side he was playing on any more. 


	6. The detachment

A few days have come and gone before Rai finally woke up. Apparently she was more hurt then they have originally thought, not so much physically, but her power was drained from her and that caused her to sleep for a very long while. When she finally woke up she couldn't remember what happened right away.  
  
Rai opened her clear violet eyes and looked around. She was in a warm bed with a blanket tucked neatly around her. Close beside her were Luna and Artemis curled up into tight balls of fur and fast asleep. Rai blinked, this was Serena's room, what was she doing here? She couldn't remember at all how she got here and only vaguely what happened before.  
  
She remembered Jaedite taking control of her, remembered the big and fake act that he has put on, she even remembered his last words to her before she blanked out. He said he was sorry. Sorry? She could hardly believe that he was sorry, or at least her mind was telling her not to believe, but she kind of did, she was not sure why she did.  
  
Then finally Rai understood, the act and what it was exactly that Jaedite did. He put up that act for the scouts, to deceive them into believing that it was all his doing. But was it? Not really, it wasn't. What happened was only partially his doing and it was very true, she went too far of her own free will, the scouts didn't let her even explain, that was also true.  
  
Rai couldn't feel too angry at Jaedite, after all, he has kind of fixed part of what he has done to her, he has gotten her back with her friends, or so she believed at least. He could not change her back to just Sailor Mars, she was going to stay Sailor Nega Mars forever, but that didn't scare her that much any more, she thought that she could deal with that, somehow.  
  
What she could not deal with was that she has given up, there was no going back there. He has defeated her and a defeated warrior in her mind was no warrior. She sight and looked down at her hands, the black long claws that scarred Serena's face were gone. Rai didn't doubt that the gentle and kind Serena has forgiven her the moment she thought that it wasn't her fault, but should she have? Rai wasn't sure.  
  
She got up moving quietly as not to wake up Luna and Artemis, she did not want to be faced with the questions just yet. Walking to the kitchen she poured herself a glass of cold water, her throat was dry and scratchy, she was guessing that she must've been out for quite some time. Rai nearly choked when she took a glance at the calendar and found out just how much time, she had taken a four day nap! No wonder her throat was dry, at this rate she was surprised that she hasn't forgotten how to drink at all!  
  
Rai wanted some fresh air, she felt dizzy and if the guardian cats were not there she would have gone back to bed, but she was sure that their acute hearing was going to let them know that she was awake. Opening the back door she slipped outside breathing in the cold mourning air. Serena must be gone for school by now, she could only guess what rumors were going around her school about her sudden disappearance.  
  
Rai looked up into the sky, it was grayish blue, it almost reminded him of a pair of stormy grayish blue eyes. Jaedite, she was sure that he has left her, she was a toy he couldn't play with any more, so why did his eyes still hunt her, will they hunt her forever?  
  
Rai wondered, did she even still hate him? After all that happened she wasn't sure, she wasn't sure about anything any more. Will her friends betray her again at the first sight of trouble like they did this time? Rai shook he head, she didn't want to think of it any more. She had her life back, or relatively back and because it has been so screwed up she could appreciate it that much more, she was going to live it and she was not going to loose it again. Rai had to hold on to what she had, she needed to hold on to what she had because she knew what it felt like to loose it all. Having at least some of it back felt wonderful!  
  
"You are awake, how are you feeling Rai?" asked Luna coming to sit on the steps beside Rai.  
  
The said girl glanced at the cat startled, she wasn't sure, it just felt different.  
  
"I don't know, Luna, is Serena?"  
  
"No, it wasn't your fault! Of course she wouldn't be mad at you after all you have been through! We understand that it was all Jaedite's fault, don't worry, we will get him for what he has done to you."  
  
Rai wanted to burst out laughing, he had them so convinced. They all thought that he was the villain. She was sick of how easily fooled they were, she could have been an enemy and Jaedite's little act would've easily fooled them. She felt sorry for them and at the same time she felt some admiration for Jaedite. They haven't given him enough credit.  
  
Up till now they were all sure that he was just one of Queen Beryl's mindless subordinates, that his mind was only good enough to comprehend orders, carry them out and think of evil. She had never thought how smart Jaedite could be, she never guessed just how well he has judged her character, and for that matter most likely everyone's character in the group. She just thought that he blindly fought them and knew nothing about them. She was wrong, more like they blindly fought and knew nothing about him. What a dangerous miscalculation that was.  
  
"Rai? Is something wrong?" Luna asked concearned.  
  
Rai shook her head, she didn't smile, didn't way anything, she stayed silent and kept her thoughts to herself. She for some reason was not as willing to forgive the scouts for abandoning her as they were willing to forgive her. She was realizing now how weak and vulnerable they were.  
  
Rai wasn't sure that if she shared her views that they would be considered. Her new view were very different from what they were used to and she acknowledged that the rest of the scouts will not process her ideas well. If she told them more about Jaedite right now they would not understand and it would only make them doubt their motives, they were not ready to handle more insight without it destroying their firm beliefs.  
  
That was why the fire senshi took it as a little rule to keep her thoughts to herself. She might know something, a better way of doing things perhaps, a stronger strategy, but she was not going to share it. It was like giving weapons to children, they could not handle what she understood now.  
  
The whole experience allowed Rai to think differently, more critically about both sides. She was not willing to blindly trust the scouts any more, they have betrayed her once, they might do it again. In her opinion they should not trust her either, but then, she did decide that she would keep her opinion to herself. Rai didn't think that the way the scouts fought would get them far, they would not stand a chance against Jaedite the way they were but again, she will not tell them that, let them think what they will, she knows better.  
  
Rai made another little resolution, she was not going to fight side by side with the scouts. Their methods were too open, to unplanned. They ran into battle with no knowledge of their opponent, they trusted easily and killed without a second thought, not even stopping to think that in exchange for life a certain creature of the negaverse, perhaps a more intelligent one just might lead all of them to the source of the problem.  
  
All of that and just their optimistic open-minded way of thinking made the scouts weak and vulnerable. Rai was not going to subject herself to that weakness. She was going to fight for them, not with them. Rai was going to walk her own road to the same destiny, walking side by side with them now made no sense to her. Rai has completely abandoned her belief in teamwork, she now believed that her objectives will be hers, and only hers, she will not follow the majority any longer. And if she made a mistake, it will be her mistake, and hers alone.  
  
She stood up determined to not let Luna see through her and know how she really felt, it would be better if the scouts didn't know about the change that went on in her. Change was good, but they would not know it because for them to acknowledge that they would have to change.  
  
"Rai, I understand that this is hard for you, if you ever want to talk, we are all here for you." Luna looked genuinely concerned and Rai knew that she indeed was. She wanted to snort, but she kept her face straight and composed not betraying any of the emotions that she felt inside, they were all so gullible and naïve.  
  
"Thank you Luna, I will remember that." She answered simply. Her politeness put a distance between her and the rest of the group, this was how you talked to strangers, not friends.  
  
Luna looked at her weirdly, was that girl still asleep, or was it whatever Jedight did to her that made her act like that?  
  
That afternoon Serena came home late as usual.  
  
"Rai!" she threw her arms around her friend.  
  
Mars put her arms around Serena loosely and gave her a small smile pretending to be still weak despite the fact that she felt as strong as a lion ready to kill. Inside her head she was musing. 'Aren't you afraid Serena dearest? Don't you know, I can break your neck with these hands? How are you willing to let the hands that have scarred your beautiful face hold you and not feel that they will hurt you again? Do you know me that well Serena? You think you do, but you don't, you trusting fool, I will protect you, but I will not be like you. I don't trust you Serna, I will not rely on you, I will not believe you, I will not place my life in your hands.  
  
"I'm sorry I'm late Rai, I know that I should've came home right away when you woke up, I'm so sorry I got held up." Serena bowed a hundred times.  
  
'Why are you sorry, who am I to you that you have to leave what you need to do to see me? I will not die if you are late, I don't care if you are late. When will you learn to think about yourself first and others later you little fool. When will you learn not to trust others with your heart, that is how it gets broken.' Thought Rai.  
  
"Why were you late Serena?" she asked not betraying her inner thoughts.  
  
Serena was mildly surprised but then smiled, or course Rai would not be mad at her for being late, Rai was her friend, she would understand.  
  
'Poor fool, she thinks that I'm forgiving her for being late and leaving me to wait, how wrong you are Serena, I never expected you to come in the first place. I don't expect you to do anything for me any more so you will never have to apologize for not doing something again, I don't expect you to do anything'  
  
"I kind of dropped by the arcade." Serena hung her head.  
  
"You were having fun." Rai stated and nodded simply. She did not want Serena to apologize because that was what Rai expected the girl to do now, leave her and tend to her own wants first, not be obliged to run and see her friend.  
  
Serena was more shocked now, Rai was letting it go!  
  
"Oh Rai, you are so nice now!" she yelled exited.  
  
'No I am not, I am not yelling because I don't care, it's your business what you do with your life, you are not obliged to live it for me. You are too kind for your own good Serena, your kindness is your weakness, it can so easily be used against you.'  
  
Rai just smiled, she didn't say how she thought that Serena was a fool, let the girl believe what she wished, that was her right.  
  
A few days have gone by since then. There was no news of Jaedite, it was like he disappeared. Rai truly doubted that, she just thought that he was planning something, or watching them waiting for something interesting and worth his time to happened. After all, now he did not have an order to fight, so why would he?  
  
Rai understood him better now, just because he was from the negaverse didn't mean that he automatically would be trying to take over the earth, he had his domain, what did he need the earth for? Jaedite was not looking for more power, he was just living his life and looking for something to do with the power he already had.  
  
The fire senshi no longer considered him a threat, he was just there. Unfortunately the others were not so convinced, they believed that he was planning a great attack and that they should all be ready. Mars ignored their constant discussions about that, in her mind it was more like 'right, and he needs you why? You think that you are so important, he probably has better things to do then go around chasing you.' After Jaedite's experience with her, Rai doubted that he would consider chasing down the scouts fun or a challenge.  
  
When Rai first got back to cherry hill temple grandpa and Chad greeted her as if she came back from a vacation. Apparently the scouts made up some lies to cover up for her two week absence.  
  
"So, Rai, how was your break, did you have fun? Was the trip good? Did you rest well?" Chad as usual was right there asking her all these questions.  
  
'You just want attention, don't you lover-boi?' thought Rai in her mind as she gave him a pleasant smile. To his questions she shook her head.  
  
"What do you mean? Was the trip not what you have expected?" Chad made a confused expression that was anything but real. Rai couldn't believe that she used to fall for that expression and believed him to be genuine.  
  
The girl wasn't sure if it was the darkness in her or her experience that made her see everything in a new light, but right now she found Chad's advances no longer so much annoying as rude. He didn't care about her trip, he didn't care about how she was, he was here because he liked her and had an excuse to talk to her. She frowned and for once she saw a real expression of confusion pass over Chad's face. "What? What did I say?"  
  
"Chad, do me a favor, stop pretending that you care about what I did when I was away, you only care about what I am going to do now that I am back and the fact that now I am closer to you then I was yesterday." She noted the expression of shock on his face and for his sake decided to clarify what she meant.  
  
"Asking me how was the trip is just an expression of courtesy, a polite question that is usually asked even though you don't care about the answer. Now, I would like you to not ask me questions that you don't want the answer to, there is no point to them."  
  
Chad nodded dumbly, of course she was right, he was just being polite, but wasn't that what people expected of each other. Little did he know that Rai has decided to reject all expectations and no longer expected anything from anyone.  
  
"Rai, you don't look too rested and relaxed to me, where did you really go? I have trouble believing that you decided to take a random vacation in the middle of the school year and without even telling anyone." His voice was much more serious then it was a minute ago, 'good' thought Rai, she got him thinking.  
  
Rai smiled, this was more like the questions she wanted to hear, straight to the point and exactly what he was thinking and wanted to know.  
  
"I was never on a trip. I was wondering the streets for the past week. Then I was hurt and spent a few days recovering at a friend's place, the rest you do not need to know." With that she passed by him and headed inside ignoring his puzzled and concerned face. She was guessing that he thought that she got mixed up with bad crowd or something like that. It was partially right, but what did she care about what he thought?  
  
Another week passed by quietly, it has now been three weeks since Rai's encounter with Jaedite. Rai has very quickly drifted apart from her friends and the rest of the people, she was more of a loner now then even Amy could be at times. For that matter, Amy and Lita were the only people she would sometimes hang out with.  
  
Amy because the girl quickly caught on to what Rai wanted from them and complied with that. The smart ice senshi was not as gullible as the others and was intelligent enough to figure out how to behave around Rai. She was sensible enough not to ask unnecessary questions or give comments that she wasn't asked for, or explain herself and her reasoning behind anything she did. Rai liked that in her.  
  
Lita because the girl had the same tendency to keep her true thoughts to herself. Sure enough Lita could be annoying when she was in a different environment, like if they were out with the rest of the scouts, but if they were just together and Lita was placed in Rai's environment, she adapted right away and became quite and thoughtful, just how Rai liked her to be.  
  
Also, she liked Lita because she could tell that unlike others, Lita still didn't completely trust her. Why didn't Rai see it before? Lita wasn't like the others, she walked a similar path, but it was a different one still. She did not blindly share opinion with the others, she just went along with the general opinion.  
  
Serena, Mina, Luna and Artemis were a lost cause. They were so much alike in their thinking that it annoyed Rai. Their world was black and white, you were either good or you were bad, they never thought of someone being anything more then that.  
  
Because Rai no longer hung out with the scouts that much she was forced to seek out new friends. People seemed to recognize that she was different, that she was stronger. Some were repelled by that strength, scared even, yet others were attracted by it, the craved it, were drawn to it.  
  
She was first joined by two sisters, Ruby and Sapphire. They were both outcasts, they did what they wanted to do and didn't give a shit about what people thought or what they technically supposed to be doing. They behaved how they liked, not how other people wanted them to behave.  
  
Ruby was impulsive, hotheaded, bad tempered, rude, right in your face and very much psychotic. Sapphire was the total opposite of her younger sister, she was reserved, calm, cold, calculating and withdrawn. They were themselves and lived only for themselves, trusting no one and not caring for no one but those who have proven themselves worthy of their attention.  
  
Then they were joined by a young man who called himself Damien. Rai knew absolutely nothing about him save for the fact that he was probably significantly older then the rest of them. He had an aura of mystery and mistrust around him, he never said anything about himself unless he was asked directly. Rai could somehow tell that he was strong and she could somehow tell that he hid a lot of secrets, but she was not going to pry and he was not going to tell himself.  
  
Lastly they were joined by Alina, a little albino twelve year old girl. They saw her hanging around in the shadows now and then, always alone. She could not play in the sun with other kids, her skin was to sensitive to be exposed for long. Rai also was sure that her white long hair that looked like spider-silk and her bright red eyes scared of other children her age. Rai didn't know how it came to be that Alina started hanging out with them, but one day Damien just brought her with him and as it went in the group, no one ever asked questions, she was there, she was one of them.  
  
Alina was always quiet and withdrawn, she rarely spoken unless she was addressed or she wanted to ask something. She trailed behind one of the group like a shadow, or rather, like a little ghost. Rai fell in love with the little girl when she saw her, she was like a porcelain doll, to short and petite for her age, her always white clothes sharply contrasted with the predominantly dark colors the rest wore. She looked like a little shy angel among the demons, obedient, respectful and quiet, she seemed much younger then she was.  
  
Rai liked the new group. Sometimes Amy and Lita would join them. Amy did not feel safe with the group, she felt a vibe from them that screamed 'danger' even though the group was not looking for trouble, more like looking for a place where they can just be themselves and left alone. Lita came along more often, whenever she needed some quiet time away from the rest of the scouts she went out with the group, she wasn't like them, but she was close enough to be accepted.  
  
"Rai-senpai, where are you taking us today?" Alina's timid light voice broke the silence of the group. They were walking down a deserted street, Rai in the lead Damien in the tail. Amy and Lita came along too, Amy with the excuse that they are the only people that she could get some studying done with, not that the group needed an excuse, more like the rest of the scouts did. Lita didn't bother giving an excuse, she was quieter then usual today and glancing at Rai quite often, she knew that something big changed about Rai.  
  
"I found a building on the edge of the neighborhood, no one lives in that area, it was supposed to be run down, but the city just abandoned it. We can use that to hang out."  
  
No one said anything, they have been looking for a place for a while now. Amy shifted warily, she could tell that Lita wasn't bothered by the description of the place, but she was, she normally didn't go to the deserted ruins. She looked around wondering if she could give them an excuse why she changed her mind but as she looked at their stone faces a thought occurred to her.  
  
Amy stopped and watched the group go by. Damien looked at her but didn't stop, just gave her a small smile, then turned around and kept walking. They didn't care, they didn't need reasons. She sighed and walked back into the opposite direction, she did not fit in with them. Amy returned to Cherry Hill temple where Serena and the others were having some quality time.  
  
"Amy, what happened, weren't you with Rai and Lita?" chrped Mina's happy voice.  
  
"Yeah, I decided to come back, I don't really like the crowd Rai hangs out with, or the crowd that hangs around Rai, I'm not sure which way is right." She smiles remembering how everything seemed to be revolving around the fire senshi.  
  
"Something happened to Rai, didn't it?" asked Serena.  
  
"You can't blame her, there is negaverse energy infused in her very being, it's not her fault." Amy sat down for a cup of tea with the rest of them, "Don't worry, we'll figure something out." Serena nodded in agreement, it never crossed her head that Rai was choosing to act like she was.  
  
Rai walked down the deserted streets, everything here looked like it was going to fall apart, there were no people, not even squirrels made their way here, it was completely a ghost town.  
  
"Rai, is this a good idea?" Lita stopped and looked at her, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"No."  
  
Lita fumed, she hated these answers without any explanation, this was how all of them were, never giving any reasoning behind their decisions.  
  
"Get lost sweetie! No one wants you here, you don't belong." Ruby was right in her face speaking what she thought.  
  
"Who asked you?" Lita growled.  
  
"I wasn't answering a question." Ruby's wide grin became even wider and her pointed set of teeth made her look like a demon, red long hair messily falling around her bright red eyes.  
  
'She would belong so well with that freak Jaedite' thought Lita as she angrily turned away and headed back where they came from, the tense atmosphere was irritating her. She didn't mind silence, she did mind the constant mistrust and tenseness of the group, it almost seemed that if something set of they would be at each other's throats in no time. Of course that something would have to be something very damn important to make the people who didn't give a shit about the world care.  
  
'So I'm all alone now, they have finally realized that they are nothing like me.' Mused Rai at Lita's departure.  
  
After a while they have arrived at their destination. It was an old abandoned mansion with a big wall surrounding the garden that was surrounding the building. By now the garden was a jungle, the windows were all broken or boarded up, but the building itself was in a relatively good condition.  
  
The big iron gates squeeled with effort when they were pushed open.  
  
"Is the wall broken at any point?" Damien talked for the first time that day.  
  
"No."  
  
"Is it scalable?" continued Sapphire as if she was reading Damien's thoughts.  
  
"No." the moth that covered most of the wall was so slippery that even if someone had a rope over the wall it would be early impossible to climb, unless they had mountain boots on.  
  
"Then we have ourselves a built in security alarm." Alina smiled referring to the noisy gates.  
  
"There is such thing as oil, ghost." Grinned Ruby calling Alina by the unofficial name that she was given by the group.  
  
They walked through the 'garden' in silence just looking around. There were paved paths but most of it was grass and earth. The trees grew so thick and out of control now that it provided plenty of shade that Alina so desperately needed sometimes.  
  
The mansion was old and creepy looking. It took all Damien's strength to pry open the heavy wooden doors at the top of the marble stairway. Once inside they were greeted by darkness and clouds of dust. The entrance hall was huge, two stairways led upstairs in a classical design.  
  
The group split up and proceeded to look around. There were lots of rooms, some empty, some had bits of furniture left. Most windows were boarded up but some still held dirty glass and even curtains. Unofficially everyone was looking for a room to call their own. Not that they would live there, they all had homes, but the all needed a sanctuary.  
  
Rai came across a big wooden door that unlike so many doors was pretty much intact, except that it was a little faded and there was some moss growing on the bottom.  
  
'insulation' mused Rai in her mind.  
  
Sge pushed the door open and walked in. She was almost shocked to see how intact the room was. The single small window was boarded up and looked ridiculous with the dark maroon heavy curtains still hanging on either side of it. Most of the room was taken up by a huge Victorian style canopy bed. It was covered with dust but Rai found it odd that the sheets were still present as were the pillows. All was faded with age and looked ghostly under the blanket of dust, but Rai was not concerned with that, she was wondering why was this room intact while most of the rest of the house was torn apart?  
  
Opposite the bed was a large full-size mirror with a heavy drawer on each side of it and a tiny dressing table in front. Rai looked in the mirror, it seemed clouded by smoke from age and not being cleaned in such a long time. At each side of the bed in opposite corners there was a bookshelf and a writing table. Both were old and empty of contents, they looked so heavy and bulky, the already dark wood blackened even more with age.  
  
Rai gathered that the walls must've been painted a dark red at one time, but now they looked darker and washed up, almost depressing. Rai walked up to the window peering through the cracks in the boards, she could see the garden and the front gate clearly, she liked that. There was something about this room that called to her, there was an old detachment here, she didn't care that it was old and dirty, even though normally she would, she could have total privacy here.  
  
Rai left the room placing a ribbon from her hair on the door, the others would know. She wondered quietly the halls until she walked into Sapphire. It appeared that the girl was looking at a perfectly round room without a single window. It appeared to be out of place because it was not attached to any outer wall, it's walls were completely enclosed inside the building and you could walk all around it if you just followed the looped hallway that ran around.  
  
It had a single door and a single huge fireplace. There were empty candleholders all around the circumference of the wall. Rai would've thought that a relatively modern building must've had electricity at one point in each room, but this room didn't have a place for a light bulb or a switch anywhere. There were old couches arranged around a low round table in the middle of the room, spaced close enough to the wall to only leave enough space for a person to walk by freely behind them.  
  
"Looks like a family room." Rai suggested.  
  
"Or some kind of worshiping location."  
  
"I like it, where are the others?"  
  
"Picking out lairs."  
  
Rai smirked, she liked Sapphire's choice of words, a lair, this was precisely what this was.  
  
"Where is your room facing." Sapphire never looked at Rai when she spoke.  
  
"South, yours?"  
  
"North."  
  
"East." Came Alina's soft voice as she walked up behind Rai quietly and ceased her hand pressing her pale face into Rai's arm.  
  
"West." Damien seemed to separate himself from shadows and joined them.  
  
"South." Ruby's voice rang loud and bold and seemed out of place among her quiet and somber company. She pushed past them and walked right in going for the fireplace first. She bulled out a small bottle of liquor and poured it over the junk that has accumulated in the fireplace. Lighting a match on fire she threw it in and watched the alcohol ignite. Soon the dry garbage was burning bright.  
  
Ruby didn't give a shit that this was an old building and lighting a fire might not be safe, she didn't give a shit if she set the whole thing on fire, no one would stop her and no one would judge her for that after, they would just move on and find themselves another place.  
  
Rai walked in and stood behind Ruby staring at the fire, somehow it pained her to see the fire, she missed her own fire, even if it was different now. Suddenly her communicator went off. Rai ignored it and so did everyone else. It kept beeping and finally she picked it up more out of annoyance then need to know what was happening.  
  
"Rai! We need your help! Don't worry, you can deal with this, whatever this is it's from the negaverse, but it's not fire based, please come!" Amy screamed in the communicator.  
  
Rai just looked at the thing coolly deciding if she should go.  
  
"You never do what you are expected Rai." Stated Damien matter-of-factly, he didn't even ask her what was going on, no one did and Rai knew that no one will.  
  
"I am leaving." She stated simply and turned away from the fire.  
  
"I am coming with you Rai-senpai?" Alina said following Rai who walked out of the room. No one else followed.  
  
Rai didn't protest the child coming, she was her own person, she did what she wanted to do, Rai was not the one to stop her from doing anything.  
  
Once outside Rai raised her deformed transformation tool and shouted  
  
"Nega-mars dark make up!"  
  
The fire burst from her dark star and encircled her. Soon she was changed. Her outfit was black with a red flame pattern at the bottom of her skirt, her gloves were shorter and fingerless, her true fire was held by a claw on her chest and her long black claws were back.  
  
Alina just stared, she hadn't known, she could have only guessed that Rai was different.  
  
"You are beautiful dark senshi."  
  
"Give me your hand ghost." Alina complied and soon they were running at the speed of the wind Rai occasionally making leaps impossible for humans and most animals to do.  
  
They were at the sight of the attack sooner then Rai would normally have been there, she has become faster when she transformed now then she did when she transformed before. She came to a stop when she saw the scouts fighting. There was a woman with an inverted black crescent moon on her forehead, definitely not one of Jaedite's creations.  
  
The scouts were loosing badly but Rai did not jump into the fight. She watched the strange woman battle, it was obvious that she was not evil, only tainted by dark energy. The scouts seemed to know that too because they were reluctant to attack full force.  
  
'Weakling fools' thought Rai as she watched their attempts to weaken the woman enough to heal her and make her human.  
  
Rai could've sent one attack that would have done the job allowing sailor moon to do her healing, but she saw no point to that.  
  
"Dark Celestial fire, IGNITE!" she yelled and threw the full force of her powerful attack at the woman never showing herself to her opponent, attacking from the shadows. Her victim was incinerated faster then she knew what was happening to her, she didn't even have time to scream.  
  
Rai observed the shocked and confused faces of the scouts. They were feeling remorse and pity for her death, feeling compassion for their enemy. Rai was aware that the woman was not evil, she was aware that there was no need to kill her, she just didn't want to bother with the girl, there was nothing of interest in the dead woman and nothing to gain from turning her into a human, she was useless.  
  
The dark fire senshi was gone from the site before the scouts even knew what destroyed their opponent, in their minds one moment they were being beaten by this woman and the next minute she was a pile of ash being blown into their faces by the wind.  
  
"You kill mercilessly Rai, I'm not safe with you." Stated Alina.  
  
"Then leave me ghost."  
  
"I choose to be with you."  
  
"Then that is your choice, as long as you know that it is."  
  
Alina nodded.  
  
"Awww! Isn't that sweet!" Rai's eyes widened when she heard the familiar voice, the voice she had not heard in a while.  
  
"Ghost, leave, now!" Rai's voice was firm and held a hidden threat. Without another word the girl disappeared.  
  
"You've changed Rai, what happened to the girl I knew, or have your emotions been damaged so much that you feel no need to exercise feeling any more?"  
  
Rai turned around to face him her eyes everything but emotionless, there was pain, despair, anger, betrayal, confusion and even gratitude intertwined in those depths.  
  
"No, not true, I just choose to now waste my emotions on people who will not understand them."  
  
"And I will?"  
  
"You were the one that took each and every emotion I had, stripped it of, examined it and then put it back, after that you are bound to know."  
  
"Come with me." Jaedite whispered stepping closer his cloak waving behind him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because there is nothing for you here, you don't need them. You are drawn to weirdos because they don't expect anything of you and don't question anything of yours, not because they understand, isn't that why you never revealed your emotions to them.  
  
"Ghost understands, she just doesn't choose to reveal her emotions to the rest of us too."  
  
"The little girl, ahh yes." Jaedite walked up straight to Rai and looked her in the eyes "What the hell do you want with the child, what is she to you Rai, your personal toy?"  
  
"It wasn't long ago that you considered me a toy."  
  
"You weren't a broken toy, I was the one that broke you, you can play with a new toy, but she is already broken, by others, are you trying to fix her?"  
  
"I don't know, I just want to keep her." Rai looked him in the eyes full of confusion. He has seen right through her, out of the whole group she liked Alina the most because she could keep her if she wanted to, if she told Alina to stay the girl would, unlike the others who considered nothing of her opinion nor anyone else's opinion but their own.  
  
"Then take her with you, but stop this aimless existence, it's pointless, you are wondering aimlessly, their enemies," he pointed in the general direction of where the fight occurred " are not your enemies, I saw it in your eyes Rai, you were only there to keep them alive, not because you cared one bit for the fight."  
  
"So what do you want me to do, just abandon them! They betrayed me, fine, but they are still my friends! They are stupid, brainless idiots, they will die if I leave them like that and I still care about that, if not about the stupid war then about them!" Rai shouted for the first time since she has seen Jaedite last, he understood her and therefore was able to get to her true feelings and not be stopped by the mask she wore constantly now.  
  
"Fine! Stay! Stay with them and rot away in this existence, you can't even stay at home any more because your home is not truly yours, you seek shelter in an abandoned rundown building and that is the only place where you can feel at peace because nothing reminds you of the lifestyle that you just can no longer live with them. Everything else reminds you of your precious oblivion and now that you learned to think straight you are trying to get away from all those who are still oblivious which is hardly working because almost everyone is damn oblivious!"  
  
"That was a long speech Jaedite. I hate you for it. I hate you for being right."  
  
"Of course you do, there is no other way." He shook his head then leaned in and kissed her. "I'll see you around." And he was gone.  
  
Rai blinked, that was it? Just 'I'll see you around'? She expected him to fight more, to pressure her more, she wanted him to pressure her, it gave her a sense of reality to be arguing for something again when the person you were arguing with actually knew what you were talking about. She cursed, of course he was gone, she should've known h would, after all, she expected him to stay and he knew that, that's why he didn't stay, just to spite her.  
  
"Jerk!" but even though Rai felt better, more alive. "C'mon ghost, I know you are spying, what's the use, even if you know, it's not going to matter to you. You don't give a shit if I want to keep you like some peace of property." Rai turned in the direction she knew Alina was hiding in. The said girl stepped out from behind the corner and for once her look wasn't blank.  
  
"Y-you k-know? Y-you understand?" her lower lip was trembling, she didn't realize that just like she could understand Rai despite the emotional mask, Rai could do the same thing.  
  
"Whatever ghost, let's just go, I feel like having some fun, that jeark gets on my nerves!"  
  
"I like him."  
  
Rai grinned 'so do I' she answered in her mind. After she got over the fact that Jaedite used to be her enemy and nearly completely broken her, it worked out for the best, now at least there was another bastard that understood her.  
  
AN: this is the weirdest peace of writing that I have ever done, it completely doesn't make sense, even to me! And that is saying a lot. If you thought that this fic was confusing so far, this chapter is even more confusing. Anyways, tell me what you think, I think I just totally changed Rai's character. Rai, Ray, Raye, whatever, who gives a hit, I know I don't, you know what I mean. Just blame this weird chapter on me being stoned, mentally unhealthy and generally confused.  
  
Anyways, the psycho needs rest, I'll attempt to make sense of what I wrote up there later on, it's just weird, I think I forgot to tie my imagination and random thoughts to a whatever plotline I originally had in mind, that is, if I ever had one, right now, I'm starting to doubt that my brain is capable of any kind of organized sequence of thoughts therefore you will find that this chapter is random ideas that came to my mind as I went.  
  
Well, later, tell me if you still want me to continue this.  
  
-Cyanide- 


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